A clear start, Oracle to leeward, Spithill inside at the top mark, threw in a luff, drew a penalty. This was the first time the Emirates AC72 had been behind on the downwind leg in either the Louis Vuitton or America´s Cup 2013. Oracle had the best run and was faster around the left hand gate.

Oracle was defending tightly covering tack for tack. NZ gaining upwind, big gains by the Kiwis as they roll tacked.

Emirates bow down sailed thru, Oracle blinked and short tacked. But Oracle came back luffed up and pushed NZ away, but Kiwis came again. They split gates after an extra gybe.

Bouncing along the left hand shore, it seemed Oracle was in defensive mode, ETNZ kept making gains and were able to pass with a port tack advantage close to the boundary. Overall, Oracle was sailing further and Emirates were tacking better.

At the windward gate 29 seconds behind, now downwind, Oracle was a little faster but they were not making a serious dint.